How to Develop Spirituality in Recovery

While recovering from an addiction, there are different aspects of a person's life that they must focus on in order to manage their symptoms most effectively. Recovery is much more than simply abstaining from substance abuse, it involves a complete transformation and new lifestyle that reflects more positive goals, inner peace and healthy decisions.

Quitting an addiction means focusing not only on the body and mind but also the spirit to resolve issues that contributed to substance abuse. Spirituality can be important because it emphasizes the meaning in life and offers you a way of tapping into the feeling of being more connected.Developing a spiritual practice can create more joy and compassion while allowing you to live a more fully embodied life.

Spiritual life is also a way to be more connected with your own thoughts and feelings, be more aware and conscious throughout your life and reduce the stress that can build up daily. It is a part of a person's overall well-being to be spiritually healthy as well as mentally and physically healthy.

Finding Meaning through SpiritualityBeing spiritual does not necessarily mean being religious. There can be many ways to develop spirituality to improve your life while going through addiction recovery. While some people may prefer the structure of a religion such as Christianity or Buddhism, others might find their own personal form of spirituality that works for them.

This inner spiritual life could involve a higher power or simply the belief in something greater than yourself. Spirituality is all about finding the meaning of existence in a way that creates a feeling of peace and harmony with the world. If you live your life believing that there is no meaning to anything it can be more difficult to stay on a more positive path. The meaning that you find in life can be personal or it can be based on ideas you discover while developing your spirituality.

Reflection and Learning about Spiritual PracticesDuring recovery, a person can become more spiritual by exploring different options and finding what works best for them. They might agree or disagree with certain principles of spiritual philosophies and form their own version of a spiritual practice.

A simple way for people to begin is to meditate daily and create a routine of quiet, peaceful reflection. As a person goes deeper into their meditation practice they will become more in tune with their thoughts and feelings.

They might begin to understand more about their emotional life and have time to reflect on what they've learned from their experiences. This time of reflection helps people develop their own spiritual beliefs, moral values and a sense of purpose.

They can begin to pursue a study of specific religions or spiritual beliefs based on what they have learned in recovery or continue their own personal practice of meditation and self-reflection. Whatever type of spirituality or religion a person chooses, the connection with their spiritual self will help them maintain balance in their life and keep them on the path of sobriety.

A spiritual practice can be a personal time alone, but it can also become a community activity for someone in recovery. Connecting with a spiritual community through a church, support group, or a class can be a healthy activity for former addicts. It helps them to discuss their spirituality with other people and further develop their practice through the help of others.

Being a part of a spiritual community can strengthen connections with other people which can be a crucial part of remaining sober. Volunteering for a community and staying in contact with them can be beneficial for sober people and keep them on track with their goals of spirituality.

Comment Via Facebook

Lisa, writes:
Cindy, I recently learned that my daughter is addicted to Cocaine. What is an effective treatment?

Cindy, writes:
Lisa, residential treatment programs with planned lengths of stay offer the best alternative to those in need of treatment for cocaine addiction. These programs are often comprehensive, in that they focus on therapy and re-socialization.

A: The intervention process is extremely effective in getting an addicted person into an appropriate alcohol/drug program where they will get the help they need. Our interventionists boast a 98% success rate.

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